Live on campus?

ABSOLUTELY!

For starters, you get to sleep in longer and that means you will be more rested from a long night of party…er, STUDYING! Instead of rising at 6:30 a.m. for that early class, driving your car over to campus, finding a parking spot and finally getting to the assignment, you can add another 45 minutes to your bed rest, take a five minute shower and then swing by the cafeteria for a quick breakfast before 8:00 a.m. Those extra minutes each morning MULTIPLIED by five days a week add up to 225 extra minutes of sleep and rest per week. That's almost four hours a week and sixteen hours a month. Minimum. Plus, you get peace of mind since you are already ON campus.

And, if your alarm does not go off, you can make a MAD DASH to class and still pull it off. You can't do that from home.

A second major benefit is exercise. I lost 25 lbs. my first semester on campus when I lived in a dorm. I walked EVERYWHERE. I would walk to breakfast and then to class. I walked back to the dorm and then left for lunch and walked back to the dorm. I walked to an afternoon class and back to the dorm. I walked to dinner and…well, you get the picture. Become a walking student and get in shape. Living on campus is your built-in fitness club.

Thirdly, you save money living on campus because you won't be driving your car as much. Gas prices will not affect you like the commuter student. If your car breaks down, that will not affect your ability to attend classes, either.

Another major benefit of living on campus is the socialization process with students you see at school every day. It forces you out of your comfort zone and prevents you being a recluse. When I attended community college, I tended to hang out with 2-3 friends during the week. When I moved to Sacramento for my junior year, I hung out with 40-50 friends. I did not like some of them, but it gave me a deeper ability to blend into society for the future. I was not allowed to be as narrow as I had chosen to be a semester earlier. I got to know friends I never would have met had I lived at home.

A minor plus is FORGETTING something. If you accidentally left an important document in your bedroom, you can run back faster to your campus place then have to drive home. Believe me, this happens more than you think. This also includes an impromtu trip to the library, student store, administration building, a visit to one of your professors or an on campus get together. Driving from home for a five minute errand or having to navigate for that party with your friends at the last second is a hassle. Believe me.

For major campus activities at night, your ability to get in and get out of traffice, find parking spaces, deal with crowds and even leave early if you are not interested in the event after an hour are made much EASIER from your campus living situation.

In addition, if there is an impromptu event during the school year, you are right THERE! This is your school. This is your universe. Live in it. Enjoy it. Make it memorable. Feel a part of it.

Live on campus. You will be forever grateful you did.